“What fun!” Sister bounced up and down with pleasure.  “Can we play with it right away?”

“Don’t know why not,” said Jimmie.  “You two take one end, and we’ll carry it out under the tree.  Mother thought that was the best place because it will be shady most of the day for you.”

They carried the box out to the tree, and then Jimmie brought the bag of sand on the wheelbarrow and dumped it into the box.

“Just like the seashore!” beamed Brother.  “Thank you ever so much, Jimmie.”

“Yes, thank you ever so much, Jimmie,” echoed Sister, jumping up and standing on tiptoe to kiss Jimmie.  “It’s the nicest box!”

Jimmie pretended that it wasn’t much to do, but of course he was very much pleased that his little brother and sister should be so delighted.  Big brothers often pretend that they don’t want anyone to make a fuss over the presents they give or the nice things they do, but just the same they are secretly glad when their efforts are appreciated.

“Here’s fifty cents for each of you,” announced Jimmie, pulling some change from his pocket and handing two quarters to Brother and a shiny half-dollar to Sister.  “If Mother is willing for you to go downtown you can get some sand-toys.”

Mother Morrison was willing they should go if they would remember to be careful about automobiles and if they would promise to be back within an hour.

The Morrison house was not very near the section of Ridgeway which contained the shops and stores, but the children often took the long walk alone.  There were no trolleys to be careful about, except the one line that ran to the city, but the automobile traffic was rather heavy and one had to remember to stop and look both ways before crossing a street.

“Let’s take Brownie with us,” suggested Brother, when they were ready to start out to spend their wealth.  “We can carry him if he gets tired.”

The fat little collie puppy wagged his tail cordially.  He loved to go walking and felt that too often he was neglected when he should have been invited.  He always wore his silver collar, and Louise had given Brother a little leather leash that could be snapped on when he took the dog outside the yard.

“Want to go, Brownie?” asked Sister.  “Want to go out?”

Brownie barked sharply.  Indeed, he did want to go!

Brother and Sister took turns leading him, and before they had gone very far they met Nellie Yarrow.  She offered to go with them and she was much interested to hear that there was a new sandbox in the Morrison yard.

“I’ll come over and play with you this afternoon,” she promised.  “Let me lead Brownie, Roddy?”

Brother gave her the leash, watching her anxiously.  Nellie was sometimes careless with other people’s property, he had learned, though she was so generous with her own it was hard to refuse her anything.

“Don’t let him get away,” he cautioned.